Ramble On…

It’s going to be a terrible year for deer ticks.  I’ve found four so far this year, one in my car and three crawling on my clothes.  My boyfriend found one the other day as well.  And his best friend and his girlfriend went for a walk yesterday and found three between the two of them.  It’s only mid-May; I’ve never found so many in an entire season!

So, how do you avoid ticks?  I looked up a little advice on the matter!

• Use an insect repellent containing at least 20% deet on skin and clothing.
• Wear long pants with hiking boots; tuck your pantlegs into your socks and your shirt into your waistband.
• Wearing light-colored clothing makes them easier to spot!
• Stay on the trail.  Ticks hang out in taller grasses, waiting for a host to pass.
• Avoid places that have a lot of ticks.  If you head into a wooded area and find a lot of ticks on your legs, turn back!
• Check yourself thoroughly when you come back from anyplace that you might have picked up ticks.
• Put your clothing through the dryer on high heat and it will kill and ticks that may be hiding in them.  (The washing machine, even on high heat, might not kill them!)

Remeber, ticks can carry disease, so avoiding them is important!  If you do get bitten by one, grab it and pullit straight out.  Some other methods may agitate the tick and cause it to regurgitate its stomach contents, increasing your risk of getting lyme disease or other diseases that ticks can transmit!